New legislation gives NOAA funds to prioritize weather research, boosting industries from farming and airlines and improving the public warning system Farmers have been obsessed with weather for thousands of years. Ancient Greeks and Babylonians sought guidance on planting and harvest by surveying the sky for patterns in clouds and stars and by communing with gods – through prayers and animal sacrifices. Modern-day farmers, such as Steve Pitstick, a fifth-generation farmer in Illinois, count on sophisticated instruments for predicting the weather instead. Related: Thank you: with your help, we raised $50,000 to cover America's public lands Continue reading...